The present invention relates to a release-control stop member for use in a sliding rail assembly to stop the inner sliding rail from falling out of the intermediate sliding rail and more particularly, to such a release-control stop member that can easily be operated with less effort to release the inner sliding rail from the intermediately sliding rail.
FIGS. 1˜3 show a sliding rail assembly for drawer according to the prior art. According to this design, the sliding rail assembly comprises a locating block 61 fixedly provided at the front open side of the intermediate sliding rail 6, and a release-control stop member 8 provided at the inner sliding rail 7 for stopping the inner sliding rail 7 from falling out of the intermediate sliding rail 6. The locating block 61 has a protruded retaining portion 611. The release-control stop member 8 has a stop portion 80 for engagement with the retaining portion 611 of the locating block 61, and a finger rod 81 for turning by hand to disengage the stop portion 80 from the retaining portion 611 of the locating block 61. This design of release-control stop member 8 has drawbacks as follows:    1. When wishing to separate the inner sliding rail 7 from the intermediate sliding rail 6, the user must turn the finger rod 81 upwards or downwards subject to the install direction of the release-control stop member 8 in the inner sliding rail 7 so as to disengage the stop portion 80 from the protruded retaining portion 611 of the locating block 61. However, it is not convenient to turn the finger rod 81 upwards or downwards in a narrow space.    2. When disconnecting the inner sliding rail 7 from the intermediate sliding rail 6, the user must turn the finger rod 81 upwards or downwards subject to the install direction of the release-control stop member 8 in the inner sliding rail 7 with one hand, and at the same time force the inner sliding rail 7 downwards or upwards with the other hand. Turning the finger rod 81 in the wrong direction cannot disengage the stop portion 80 from the protruded retaining portion 611 of the locating block 61.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a release-control stop member for use in a sliding rail assembly for drawer that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. According to the present invention, the release-control stop member is affixed to a first sliding rail being inserted into a second sliding rail having a locating block for stopping the first sliding rail from falling out of the second sliding rail. The release-control stop member comprises a flat rear engagement block affixed to the first sliding rail, a locating notch at a front side of the flat rear engagement block for engagement with the locating block of the second sliding rail to stop the first sliding rail from falling out of the second sliding rail, an arched neck, and a front operating handle connected to the flat rear engagement block through the arched neck for pulling by the user to deform the arched neck and to further disengage the locating notch from the locating block for enabling the first sliding rail to be disconnected from the second sliding rail. When wishing to separate first sliding rail from the second sliding rail, the user can pull the operating handle of the release-control stop member with the fingers with less effort. Simply pulling a flat front operating portion of the front operating handle of the release-control stop member straightly forwards, the arched neck is deformed to force the locating notch away from the locating block of the second sliding rail. Further, the release-control stop member is a single piece element directly injection-molded from plastics for quick installation with less labor, thereby lowering the cost.